Read it: Luke 9:23
Live it:
The word disciple is used about 260 times in the New Testament. We know that Jesus had disciples. Paul discipled Timothy, and others discipled other bible characters. In the biblical aspect, a disciple is someone who hears the teachings of Jesus and follows them. Throughout the New Testament, we see countless people hearing the words that Jesus spoke, but not everyone believed and followed them. Jesus made it very clear that those who heard His words and obeyed them were his disciples. Being a true disciple of Jesus means we not only read and hear scripture, but we also obey how the Bible tells us to live our lives.
From today’s one verse we see a strong command that Jesus gives to those He is discipling. This verse also includes us. Jesus starts by saying, “If any of you wants to be my followers.” He didn’t say this is an option if we want it. He didn’t say here is something we might like to do. He said IF we want to be his follower, then do this. First, we are called to give up our selfish ways, meaning we are to live a sacrificial life. Our lives are not our own; we have been bought with a price. We are to give up our earthly will and way of thinking to follow the perfect will of the Father. As we become more sanctified, our thinking becomes less about us and more about Jesus’ way of thinking.
Next, Jesus tells us to take up our cross and follow Him, which would look like completely surrendering our lives to Jesus and following after him because of all He has for us. This is a daily command, not just a one-and-done command. We are called to daily surrender our selfish ways, to daily surrender our will and desires, and to daily strive after Jesus with all we are. Again, this is a command, not an option. If we are a true disciple of Jesus, then He tells each one of us that we are to lay down our lives, our rights, and our wills, and follow Jesus with EVERYTHING we have.
Becca